Answers For Sports science

Steve: Good morning, guys. Come on in.

Mike: Thanks. Steve - its good of you to spare us some of your time.

Flo: Yeah - we really appreciate it.

S: That's OK. So you're studying sports science, are you?

M: Yeah - we've only just started our course, actually - but as I explained on the phone, um, we have this seminar to do on sports injuries and we thought, who better to talk to than someone like yourself?

S: Fine, OK. So what would you like to know?

F: Well, we thought we'd start by asking you about some of the treatments and services you offer here at the clinic.

S: OK - well, as you know, physiotherapists deal with a whole range of different 'problem areas' in the body.

M: Yeah - what sort of techniques do you use to help people? I mean, I know you use massage - and I understand that's a key form of treatment…

S: Yeah. 1Well, we call it 'manual therapy', you know, because it's a hands-on treatment and it just involves manipulating the soft tissue around a joint to relieve stiffness and pain.

F: Is that something that a lot of people come here for?

S: Um - well, we generally decide what's best for the individual. 1This treatment can hurt sometimes, but it gets results more quickly than anything else.

F: And is that true whatever the injury?

S: For sports injuries, generally, yes. But it doesn't stop there - you have to do other things as well.

M: 2I've heard of something called 'stability training'. Do you do that?

S: Definitely. 2This is something that's designed to improve overall posture and body shape.

M: So it's for the back and neck?

F: I think I've heard of this ... it works on everything and gives you more power.

S: 2Yeah - this is important - we improve your overall form, and that's quite good if you're tired or a bit weak.

F: Do you use any aids to boost performance?

S: Occasionally we recommend a pad or block for a sports shoe, but not often.

M: What about electrical equipment?

S: 3We do sometimes use electrotherapy, which is supposed to stimulate the body to repair itself.

F: So that's actually using a small electrical charge?

S: Yes, but there's growing evidence that the effect is limited.

M: So I guess you don't use it much?

S: No -3 we tend to avoid it most of the time.

M: I see. What if people don't have an injury but just want to get better at their sport? I mean, sometimes people know they do something wrong when they … swing a golf club, for example.

S: Ah - then 4we film them and show them exactly what they do. It's called video analysis.

F: That must be really helpful.

S: 4It's what everyone asks for it outstrips all our other services - because it's great for so many activities - not just sporting ones.

M: Can you help people with sedentary activities?

S: Absolutely - we offer workstation analysis because so many people have asked us for it.

F: Yeah. I spend hours on my laptop, and as the day goes on, my posture gets worse and worse!

S: That's why we tend to suggest that people come at the end of the day for this.

M: I guess the problem is that everyone's built differently. I think we both need some help there.

F: That was really interesting. So what happens when someone comes to your clime?

S: Well, let's imagine you're the patient.

F: OK

S: 5A common situation will be that you sustained an injury, say, a year ago. So it's not new so you turn up with what we call an 'existing injury'

F: Right. Like I sprained my ankle.

S: Exactly - that's a typical one.

F: OK, and I've been to the doctor. and he's sent me to the hospital for an X-ray, and then I've been prescribed a cream or even painkillers.

S: You've been through that medical route.

F: OK. And I had to rest it for a while, of course, and that meant not doing any sport. So I've come to you because I'm fed up, basically.

S: 6Yes - you need to get the joint moving again. So what we would do first is to assess the damage to the joint area.

F: I guess there's a whole range of problems that it could be, and some are more serious than others.

S: And we can't afford to make mistakes. 7Now, once we know what the problem is, we select a treatment -perhaps one that we talked about earlier - plus we design an exercise plan for you.

F: That's great if you stick to it.

S: Yes, that's the hard part for patients because they don't have time or they get bored. 8So we ask them to come back regularly - we make appointments - and we monitor the movement in the joint each time.

F: And you expect that to work?

S: Yes. and it usually does - quite quickly, in fact, and then we can go on to rehabilitation.

F: You mean getting them back into the sporting activity they used to do?

S: That's right. 9We have a fully equipped gym and we devise a training plan - well, a personal trainer does that, and they oversee the programme for at least a couple of months and make sure the patient carries it out.

F: It sounds really thorough. That's great. Steve, thanks.